06/12/2024
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The third Copernicus Sentinel-1 satellite tv for pc was launched on a Vega-C rocket from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana. Sentinel-1C extends the legacy of its predecessors, delivering high-resolution radar imagery to observe Earth’s altering atmosphere, supporting a various vary of functions and advancing scientific analysis. Moreover, Sentinel-1C introduces new capabilities for detecting and monitoring maritime site visitors.
Sentinel-1C was launched into orbit on 5 December, lifting off aboard Vega-C at 22:20 CET (18:20 native time). The launch proceeded easily, with the rocket reaching area in eight minutes and dropping off Sentinel-1C at roughly 00:04 CET.
The launcher’s mission, known as VV25, is a return-to-flight for Vega-C – Europe’s light-weight, high-performance rocket – marking the restart of routine industrial operations for the brand new launcher. At 00:12 CET, ESA established communication with the satellite tv for pc confirming that it was safely in orbit.
ESA’s Director Common Josef Aschbacher stated, “One second mixed two nice European achievements immediately: the third launch of a Sentinel-1 satellite tv for pc and the third launch of Vega-C, marking a triumphant return to type for each flagship European initiatives. It was thrilling and touching to see the combo of the European launcher and Copernicus group and groups rooting one another on in true Workforce Europe type.
“With the insertion of Sentinel-1C into orbit, ESA continues a legacy of steadfast Sentinels defending the Earth and exemplifies why Europe wants secured flights: as a result of what we ship to area offers advantages to Earth, and all of it begins with a launch.”
ESA’s Director of Area Transportation Toni Tolker-Nielsen stated, “Immediately’s launch marks an important step ahead, reaffirming European impartial entry to area. With Vega-C again in flight and the inaugural launch of Ariane 6 in July, we’re in an excellent place going ahead and I salute all of the hard-working groups throughout Europe and its spaceport who’ve labored tirelessly to realize this success.”
ESA’s Director of Earth Commentary Programmes Simonetta Cheli added, “We’re thrilled to have fun the launch of Sentinel-1C, an instance of the enduring partnership between ESA and the European Fee. The mission performs an important position in addressing world challenges like local weather change and catastrophe response, whereas guaranteeing the continuity of important radar knowledge for monitoring Earth’s land, oceans and ice.
“With Sentinel-1C efficiently in orbit and Vega-C again in flight, Europe continues to show its management in area, delivering tangible advantages for Earth by way of cutting-edge expertise and collaboration.”
About Copernicus Sentinel-1C
Sentinel-1A was the primary satellite tv for pc within the sequence, launched in April 2014, adopted by the launch of Sentinel-1B in 2016. The Sentinel-1B mission got here to an finish in August 2022 after experiencing a technical fault that rendered it unable to accumulate knowledge. The satellite tv for pc has been efficiently de-orbited and can reenter Earth’s environment inside 25 years.
Sentinel-1C, together with its sibling Sentinel-1A, will return the mission to its full potential as a two-satellite constellation. Sentinel-1A is then due to get replaced by Sentinel-1D later subsequent yr.
Carrying superior radar expertise to offer an all-weather, day-and-night provide of images of Earth’s floor, the formidable Copernicus Sentinel-1 mission has raised the bar for spaceborne radar. Sentinel-1 carries a C-band artificial aperture radar (SAR) instrument, which permits it to seize high-resolution imagery of Earth’s floor.
Sentinel-1 knowledge contributes to quite a few Copernicus companies and functions, together with Arctic sea-ice monitoring, iceberg monitoring, routine sea-ice mapping and glacier-velocity measurements. It additionally performs an important position in marine surveillance, similar to oil-spill detection, ship monitoring for maritime safety and monitoring unlawful fishing actions.
Moreover, it’s broadly used for observing floor deformation attributable to subsidence, earthquakes and volcanic exercise, in addition to for mapping forests, water and soil sources. The mission is essential in supporting humanitarian support and responding to crises worldwide.
Sentinel-1C and Sentinel-1D introduce new capabilities for detecting and monitoring maritime site visitors, by way of their built-in Computerized Identification System (AIS). This method includes 4 onboard antennas and optimises the seize of indicators transmitted by ships, which embody essential particulars similar to a vessel id, location and route of passage, enabling exact monitoring.
Sentinel-1 knowledge are freely accessible by way of the Copernicus Knowledge Area Ecosystem, offering on the spot entry to a variety of knowledge from each the Copernicus Sentinel missions and the Copernicus Contributing Missions.
The Sentinel-1 mission is the results of shut collaboration between ESA, the European Fee, business, service suppliers and knowledge customers. Designed and constructed by a consortium of greater than 70 firms led by Thales Alenia Area and Airbus Defence and Area, it’s an impressive instance of Europe’s technological excellence.
About Vega-C
Complementing the Ariane household to launch all sorts of payloads into their desired orbits, Vega-C ensures that Europe has versatile and impartial entry to area. ESA owns the Vega-C programme, working with Avio as prime contractor and design authority. Arianespace was the launch service supplier for Sentinel-1C.
This launch marks Vega-C’s return to flight, a key step in restoring Europe’s impartial entry to area. The primary industrial flight in December 2022 failed as a consequence of a nozzle difficulty in its Zefiro-40 motor. Since then, an improved nozzle was designed and constructed and the whole Zefiro-40 stage has undergone two profitable firing assessments, in Could and October 2024, which demonstrated the motor’s skill to carry out reliably below completely different stress circumstances and burn length. These assessments confirmed the motor’s readiness, and clear the trail for Vega-C’s flight with Sentinel-1C.
